Peppers and Tomatoes Stuffed with Rice

Sunday, 19 July 2009

In my fridge I had 12 bell peppers - they were a bargain! So, on seeing this recipe in a book called Greek Cooking. I felt the need to make it. I have altered the original recipe quite a bit though. So here is my version.

Preheat your oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4

You will need:4 bell peppers plus another half of one2 beef tomatoes (I only used one as Mr Bennett doesn't like them - more for me ha ha)plus 2 ordinary tomatoes1 large onion - chopped finely2 medium potatoes - sliced into 1/4 slices300ml hot chicken stock made from 1 Knorr stock cube1 tablespoon of freshly chopped parsleypinch of dried mintpinch of oreganoa pinch or two of sugar1 and a half cups of rice4 plus 1 tablespoons of good quality olive oil salt and pepperHow to do it:

Slice the bottom of the tomatoes to create a lid and put the lids to one side. Now scoop out the pulp and reserve. Cut the tops off the tops of the peppers, put the lids to one side. Remove the seeds and discard them. In a frying pan heat a tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the onions and sliced potatoes. Cook until the onions are tender. The potatoes wont be cooked at this point - but don't worry. Remove the potatoes and put to one side.

Now stir in the rice and cook for a minute and the reserved tomato pulp from the beef tomato.Stir in a little of the hot chicken stock. Keep stirring and adding more stock a little at a time until the rice is almost cooked. You may not need all of the stock - if you need more then it should only be a small amount so you can just add a little water. The Knorr stock cube is meant to be dissolved in 440ml of water so the taste will still be fine.

When the rice is almost cooked. Now stir in the parsley, oregano and mint.Put the peppers and the tomatoes into an oven proof dish - choose one so they sit nice and snug and hold each other up. Put the slices of potato around the edge.Sprinkle a little sugar in the bottom of each tomato and a little salt and pepper in each pepper. Now fill each of them with the rice mixture.Put the lids back on. Sprinkle the potatoes with a little salt.

Chop the half a bell pepper and the two other tomatoes into small dice. In a small bowl mix these together with the rest of the olive oil.

Drizzle the peppers and tomatoes with the olive oil and tomato and pepper mixture. Put into your preheated oven and cook for about 35 to 40 minutes.